This month we talk to Rush's legendary guitar-and-bass duo, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, about their new album,Clockwork Angels, as well as their favorite road and studio gear. We also interview Kim Thayil from Soundgarden about the band's new comeback album,King Animal. We also find out how Dave Knudson of Minus the Bear creates tapped rhythms and synth-y tones with four Line 6 Delay Modelers. Other features in this issue include a do-it-yourself story on setting up a Strat to play like a dream, a how-to guide on choosing a 1/4 cable, and a profile of Dagmar Custom Guitars. Our gear reviews this month include the Gibson J-45 PureVoice Custom, TV Jones Spectra Sonic C Melody baritone, Yamaha BB1025X 5-string bass, Marshall JMP-1C, Fender Select P bass, Malekko Plus Ultra 213, JHS Panther, Brunetti Singleman, Jetter Red Square, and Electroplex Rocket 35-EL. New product for the week of October 08, 2012.

Another fantastic collection of songs by Peter Warlock, set for 2 and 3-part Upper Voices with Piano accompaniment. Warlock was a treasure of British song-writing, he composed and arranged a good deal of Choral music during his lifetime though little was originally conceived for ladies' choirs. These six songs were completed between 1918 and 1928, a period in which parlour piano was out of fashion due to the technologies that were being introduced, yet there was demand for part-songs and this was an opening for Warlock who re-wrote earlier solos. Magical and poetic, Warlock has a way with words, phrasing and melody and these songs are sure to delight singers, players and audiences. New product for the week of May 7, 2012.

The songs in Hal Leonard's Essential Elements Guitar Ensembles series are playable by multiple guitars. Each arrangement features the melody (lead), a harmony part, and a bass line. Chord symbols are also provided if you wish to add a rhythm part. For groups with more than three or four guitars, the parts may be doubled. Play all of the parts together, or record some of the parts and play the remaining part along with the recording. All of the songs are printed on two facing pages; no page turns are required. This series is perfect for classroom guitar ensembles or other group guitar settings. This edition features 14 Disney favorites, including: Beauty and the Beast

In any music style, there are essentials - scales, licks, chords, etc. Blues Guitar Chords teaches you the must-know chords that will get you shufflin' like a pro in no time. You won't get bogged down with tons of details. Rather, you'll be armed with many chord shapes that have been used throughout the history of the blues. The included DVD demonstrates each chord and all the song examples are accompanied by a full band, so you can hear these chords in the proper context. Covers: boogie patterns, dominant seventh chords, extended chords, other chord types (min7, maj7, altered), alternate/partial chords, full song examples, and more! DVD running time: 37 min.New product for the week of April 1, 2012

Journey to Bethlehem with three wise kings...in this new, easy-to-prepare Christmas musical. Stan Pethel's signature arrangements make this a singable and usable work appropriate for a wide variety of choirs, ensembles and other Christmas worship settings. The mixture of familiar and new music along with thought-provoking narration makes Three Kings a refreshing presentation for Christmas.New product for the week of February 27, 2012.Return Policy Exception: This product can not be returned if opened but it can be exchanged if defective, for the exact same title.

In any music style, there are essentials - scales, licks, chords, etc. Acoustic Guitar Chords teaches you the must-know chords that will get you strumming quickly. You won't get bogged down with tons of details. Rather, you'll be armed with many chord shapes that have been used throughout the acoustic guitar's history in countless hits. The included DVD demonstrates each chord and all the examples are accompanied by a full band, so you can hear these chords in the proper context. Teaches: open chords, barre chords, seventh chords, other chord types (suspended, add9), open-string drone chords, full song examples, and more. You don't need to learn how to read music to play acoustic guitar. But you do need to know these chords!New product for the week of March 19, 2012.

Meridian comes very much out of the composer's love for ostinato, or groove-based, music. Other diverse influences include the World Music-infused jazz of Keith Jarrett and Jan Garbarek, as well as the symphonies of Shostakovich. This exciting and creative work is written with a consistent rhythmic drive throughout, and features a prominent role for piano. Dur: 8:00New product for the week of February 20, 2012.

AT THE CUZCO MARKET leads your band to yet another far-off land. Imagine the hustle and bustle, and the noise and bright colors! You're there in Cuzco, Peru with this tantalizing new piece composed by a master of young band literature, Mike Hannickel.New product for the week of February 13, 2012.

Get your performance off to a great start with this exciting opener. Funky riffs are layered on top of each other until the full groove is revealed. Solo changes are easy and can be opened up for as many soloists as you want. Short and exciting -- the perfect opener! Full Score.

Softly is a beautiful ballad in a slow funk/rock style that blends solo improvisation and terrific ensemble writing into a chart that will be a winner for any concert or festival performance. Brad Ciechomski has written successfully for concert band and jazz ensemble, and has created another gem of a composition that is musically satisfying while being very playable by students.

Mike Kamuf has composed another winner with The Goodness Box , a chart that is correlated with the Standard of Excellence Advanced Jazz Ensemble Method. A riff-oriented melody over a funky rhythm section groove makes this a perfect concert or festival selection. - Beginning Level Jazz Charts - Flexibly orchestrated so that they can be played with as few as 9 players. - Everyone in the ensemble has an opportunity to improvise in the open solo section. - Includes two suggested solos and a CD with a solo practice track, to facilitate successful improvisation.

The Cat s Meow is straight-ahead swinger in the same vein as Benny Golson s classic Killer Joe. The melody is a very simple riff that repeats at different levels over the course of the form. The cat who inspired the tune is a furry exotic Persian named Berlioz who took up residence in the composer's house. Like most cats, his life consists mainly of eating and sleeping. He most often resides at the top of the stairs, and never bothers to try to get out of the way.

A good Latin groove can be hard for a young band to play, but Morning Mambo is a Grade 2 piece written specifically so that the young player can feel the fire and energy of a Mambo. The composer says, The jazz bands that I teach, like so many others, rehearse early in the morning before school. I thought a nice Latin groove would be a good way to start the day!

Sleep, Softly Dream is dedicated to the son of friends of the composer. It was written at the time of his birth. The instrumentation relates to the parents who are gifted musicians, one an oboist the other a violinist.

A colourful duet for flute and clarinet written by Donald Coakley is another brilliant chamber piece. Quick running passages and light staccato articulations make this a piece that is truly fun to play. Originally written to be performed by professional musicians for the Toronto Symphony student concert series, a good high school pair could learn this piece with work.

A treat for ensemble players of all ages! All four parts are solid intermediate level playing and no part feels second to another as Gurlitt masterfully distributes solos and melodic material equally among the four parts. From a proud, march-like The Start to the peaceful Arrival in the Country to the exciting Chase and the lyrical and romantic Under the Village Lime Tree, you'll find a wide variety of programmatic pieces to choose from that will delight both audience and performer.

Waltz Caprice, Op. 37, No. 2 Waltz Caprice No. 2 begins with a wonderfully lilting and syncopated theme. Kathleen Dale writes, The trio [middle] section is composed of...slender material: an 8-bar phrase of two figures, one a block of reiterated chords, the other the continuous alternation of a melody note with the [half-step] below. The phrase is repeated nine times. Far from being monotonous, the effect is magical...[there is a] feeling of suspense as to where the next modulation will lead... The Last Spring, Op. 34, No. 2 The Last Spring is one of Two Elegiac Melodies that Grieg arranged for solo piano as well as for string orchestra. Grieg made these four-hand settings with beautiful economy of means. The distribution of the thematic and harmonic material achieves refined and expressive effects. Norwegian Dance, Op. 35, No. 2 This Norwegian Dance is among Grieg's best and most characteristic piano duets. It is based on an Old Norwegian mountain melody. As is usual with Grieg, he has treated this folk tune in a uniquely personal way, making it his own while retaining its uniquely Norwegian flavor.

ed. by Weekley & Arganbright: Another successful anthology from their graded series, this edition represents a great range of styles from the 19th and 20th centuries, including music of Bizet, Foster, Mendelssohn, Moszkowski, Satie, Schumann , and Spindler . Also included is a contemporary arrangement by Weekley & Arganbright based on two familiar hymn tunes.

There are relatively few published sonatas or sonatinas for piano duet at the late elementary and early intermediate levels. This volume, containing both 18th and 19th century works by master composers and teachers, is a valuable contribution to the genre. The two parts are printed on th same page so that teachers and pupils will see the score in its entirety, contributing to a better understanding of the interaction between the parts. Phrasing, articulations, and other interpretive marks have been carefully edited for clarity and practicality. These little pieces will lend interest and variety to piano recitals and will give confidence to primo players who have limited experience by providing a solid foundation in the secondo parts.

New from the Composer's Studio series, this edition explores the inviting reaches of space. The Four Further Study activity encourages the students to look for two motives which recur throughout the collection. These pieces are imaginative and expressive, ranging from ethereal to playful. Students can focus on technical skills, such as independence of hands, while maturing in their artistic expression. Each piece can stand alone or be combined with others in a suite for performance.

arr. by James Red McLeod & Mary R. Elledge: The first edition was so fun, we just had to do another! Enjoy arrangements of four more jazz favorites for one piano, four hands, including Darktown Strutters Ball, Ja-Da, Jazz Me Blues, and That's a Plenty . As in the first volume, there are helpful preparatory exercises unique to each piece.